“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” I jumped up and yelled back in reply. The side door sprung open and Walter emerged from the adjoining room. He looked exquisite, in his black tuxedo.
“Beatrice. Are you okay?” he asked, concerned.
My mother didn’t say a word, but slowly she pulled back the pink fabric curtain and revealed herself.
I didn’t know what to say, or what to do. I just stood there, staring at her. I couldn’t utter a word. Walter didn’t say anything either. Seconds passed, although it felt more like minutes. My mother was also quiet and she didn’t take her eyes off me. Finally I broke the silence. “That… that... Isn’t the… the… dress you... you... ordered.” I stuttered. “What’s going on? How could they have sent you the wrong dress?”
“You got me. I sure can’t figure it out.” She replied as she walked towards the full-length mirror and gazed at her reflection in disgust.
“It’s not even similar,” I remarked remembering the stunning cream colored beaded Channel dress she had modeled for Violet and me at the boutique. “It isn’t even white or cream. It’s wine!”
She turned around to face Walter and me. “I know!” she answered looking distraught.
“It actually looks like it’s the same shade my dress is.”
“Again, I know.” She snickered. “I really don’t understand what is happening. Nothing is going right. We’ve worked so hard for months, for nothing.” She sat down in one of the large chairs and buried her head in her hands. Once again, she started to sob.
Walter knelt down beside her and placed his hand on her thigh and squeezed it tenderly. “It’s okay, Bea. You look beautiful. And you really don’t have to wear white you know.” He laughed. “After all, it’s not like it’s your first time.”
My mother punched him in the arm. “Really? Thank you for that information. This day is quickly turning into a disaster. Do you think your little comment made me feel better? I swear you’re no better than she is. Neither one of you is helping.”
Sheepishly, with a boyish grin, he said, “Sorry.”
I knelt down next to them. “Mom, Walter does have a point. You do look beautiful in the dress. You wanted this wedding to make a statement, didn’t you? You sashaying down the aisle in that outfit will have everyone talking for months!”
“Ugh! Precisely what I’m afraid of! Annabel, I want them talking for the right reasons. Not because I’m dressed like a fool.”
“But you’re not, Mom,” I tried to reassure her. She really did look beautiful in the dress. It was tea length with a gathered waist, three quarter length sleeves and a round neck in a beautiful shade of marsala.
“Whatever. I give up,” she said as she waived her hands in the air. “I’m done. Just go put on your dress, Annabel.” Then she turned and faced Walter. He gently stroked her cheek. I made my way to the garment rack and grabbed the other large bag, the one with my name on it. I entered the make shift dressing room. As I took off my sneakers, I said a silent prayer the bag didn’t contain a polka dotted or leopard printed dress. I didn’t think my mom could take much more of this. I really felt bad for her.
As I slipped out of my jeans and removed the zippered sweatshirt I was wearing, I heard Beatrice and Walter whispering, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
I slowly unzipped the bag and pulled the dress out. Then I gasped.
“Is everything okay in there, darling?” my mother asked, sounding oddly calm and smug.
“Um, I’m not sure,” I answered honestly as I slipped into a dress that clearly wasn’t what I ordered either. The style was similar, though. It was an A line, form fitting dress, with a long flared bottom which reached my ankles. But instead of it being one shouldered, like the one we bought, this one had a sweetheart neck. But the largest difference was the color. It wasn’t wine, like the dress I had picked out and the one my mother was now wearing. It was white!
I slowly peeled back the pink fabric and emerged from the makeshift dressing room. My mom and Walter were no longer sitting off to the side looking distraught. Instead they were standing right in front of me, and both of them had huge smiles on their faces.
My eyes bounced back and forth between my mom and Walter. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. I had so many questions.
“What’s going on? Why are you looking at me like that? What’s happening here?” I asked. I didn’t allow either one of them to answer a question before I tossed out another one. With every question I asked, my voice got louder and louder.
“Do you really not have a clue, darling?” My mother asked as she smirked at me.
“No,” I answered honestly. “I really don’t,” I whispered.
My mom gazed into Walter’s green eyes. He nodded, and then he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his iPhone. “Stand together ladies and smile. I want to take a picture of the bride and her mother.”
My jaw dropped. “What?” I asked, as Walter snapped the shot.
CHAPTER 25
I TOOK A LARGE GULP of the champagne Walter had poured for me. The bubbles made my nose tickle but I didn’t pay any attention. “Can one of you please explain what is going on? I’m so confused.”
Walter glanced at his Rolex watch. “Beatrice, I will allow you to do the honors. I should go downstairs now. Cole and the O’Conner’s should be arriving soon. I want to be able to greet them when they get here and get them all squared away.” He put his own glass of champagne down. “Oh, and I’ll also send up the makeup artist so she can make you ladies even more beautiful then you already are.”
He picked up his flute again and finished off his drink. Then he leaned over and gave me a big hug. “I said it before, but it deserves repeating. You look beautiful, Anna. I’m so happy to be part of this special day. You will allow me the honor of walking you down the aisle, won’t you?”
Despite my confusion, I quickly answered, “Yes. Of course.” Then he was gone.
“Mom, can you please tell me what is happening here?” I asked. “I really am so confused. What’s all this talk about me being the bride and Walter walking me down the aisle? Today is your wedding, not mine.” I pointed at my gold wedding band I wore on my finger for affect. “I am already married, remember?”
Bea got up and walked across the room to where her designer handbag was placed. She carried the bag back to where I was sitting. She sat down next to me once more and rummaged through her purse. She pulled out a thick square envelope and handed it to me. “This may help explain things a little more,” she said.
I held it in my hand for a second. It looked so familiar. I slid open the seal and pulled out an invitation. It was the style I had liked the most when we went shopping. I’ve never been so confused in my life. I read the printed words as I prayed for clarity...
COLE AND ANNABEL
ARE RENEWING THEIR VOWS...
BUT THEY JUST DON’T KNOW IT... YET
MISS VIOLET O’CONNER & MASTER HARLEY O’CONNER
ALONG WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS
HOPE YOU WILL JOIN THEM IN THE CELEBRATION OF LOVE…
SATURDAY JUNE 15th
8:00PM
GLEN MAPLE COUNTRY CLUB
Remember…
SHHH… it’s a SURPRISE!
“What does this mean? This isn’t the invitation you picked out,” I said as I handed it back to my mother.
“I know,” Beatrice smirked at me. “It’s the invitation you picked out. The same way the flowers and the cake are exactly what you wanted. Even the location of the ceremony is outside just like you desired. You planned every single aspect of this wedding, Annabel. You just didn’t know it.”
Before I could answer there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” my mother answered in a singsong voice. The makeup artist walked in. She was about twenty-two years old, with long copper colored, which fell down to her waist. Her right arm was covered with tattoos and she was gorgeous. The best part was she didn't try to make small talk. She moved wh
atever she needed over to where we sat. She began working on me first as my mind raced.
“So there wasn’t really a flood?” I questioned.
“Nope,” Beatrice laughed. “But you have to admit it was a brilliant idea, wasn’t it? I can’t take credit for it, though,” she chuckled. “Walter thought that one up on his very own. He’s a sneaky man! I simply had to convince you there was a flood. He didn’t think I had it in me. But I certainly proved him wrong! I did a good job of acting, didn’t I?”
“Yeah. I never would have guessed you were capable of such a performance. But then again, there is a lot about you I didn’t know.” I paused and peered into her gray eyes, “Well, until recently that is.”
My mom’s eyes were sad. She reached for my hand and squeezed it. “I know, and I am glad we are changing that.”
“Me too. We’ve got a lot of years to make up for.” The artist angled my chin to the right and continued working. A harsh realization struck me. “So you and Walter aren’t really going to get married today?” I asked.
My mother smirked at me and shook her head. “No. We aren’t.”
“Were you ever engaged?” I asked, disappointed.
My mother laughed. “No, we were never engaged. You renewing your vows to Cole has always been my plan, and my plan worked perfectly!” My mother extended her left hand and looked at the Paraiba Tourmaline with pink sapphire ring on her ring finger. “But Walter did really buy me this beautiful ring. Oh Annabel, you look so distraught. Don’t fret. Walter and I are extremely committed to each other. He’s the best thing to have happened to me in a very long time, maybe even ever. But at our age neither one of us sees the point in getting married. We’re just going to live together. If anything happens to change our minds, with respect to marriage, we’ll cross that bridge when the time comes. But for right now, today is your day. You are going to declare your love for your husband in front of all your friends and family. You are finally going to have the wedding you spent your childhood dreaming about. The wedding you missed out on having because of my bitterness and insensitivity.”
“My friends and family?” I questioned as the makeup artist angled my chin the opposite direction.
“Oh yes. Did you think you were going to walk out on the fairway only to be surrounded by my friends? Ha! Yes, there will be a few of my friends here, of course. How could I not invite the ladies? They would never let me live it down if I excluded them. And, besides, if the girls didn’t insist on dragging me on that cruise I would never have met Walter in the first place. So in a way they are responsible for today as well.” She paused briefly, “But don’t worry, except for a select few, all the guests will be the people who matter most to you and Cole.”
“Really?”
My mother nodded.
“How did you manage that?” I asked. It wasn’t like my mom socialized with my friends, or family. I never confided stories about them to her.
“It was easy, I had a lot of assistance,” my mother flashed a knowing smile my way. She counted off on her fingers, “Connie, Cecelia, and both your sister-in-law. They all helped me.”
“They did? How? You don’t even know Cecelia?”
Except for when I received promotions, my mother never took any interest in my career. I think she only paid attention to my advancements because it gave her something to brag about to her friends. And while Cecelia and my friendship extended outside of our office I didn’t talk about her with my mother.
“Close your eyes, please,” the makeup artist requested. I did as told and she started to curl my eyelashes.
“I probably should start at the beginning, shouldn’t I?”
In unison, the makeup artist and I answered, “Yes.” I guess she wasn’t so quiet after all.
My mom arched an eyebrow at the young girl who immediately glanced downward, looking embarrassed. She began to apply mascara on my left eyelashes.
“Well, to start off, Walter and I didn’t quite meet the way I told you. I believe I probably already mentioned although the cruise line had a reputation for impeccable service, I never saw it. Not once! They were so slow. I was at the pool with the girls, but I might as well have been there alone. They were all sleeping or reading, and I didn’t feel like doing either. I was bored out of my mind. I decided to go to the bar and have a cocktail. When I got there it was fairly empty. There were only a few people sitting there, and they all had drinks in front of them. They only had one bartender on duty, and he was busy shooting the breeze with a pretty young thing. Now, I am no prude. He had every right to flirt with her, but not when he had customers waiting.”
The artist started applying mascara on my other eye’s lashes, as my mom continued. “I tried to get his attention. When I snapped my fingers he looked right at me. He knew I was waiting for him. But he didn’t care. He made it clear I was on his pay no mind list. Well, I’m sure you can imagine how his disrespect made me feel. I started clicking my nails on the bar while tapping my foot. I wanted to express my displeasure while trying to control my tongue. After all, I was on vacation. Then, I heard a loud sigh. I turned around and realized it came from a man who was standing next to me.”
“Walter?” I asked as the artist began applying eye shadow on my lid.
“Yes.” My mother nodded her head. “While I didn't know how long he was waiting there, I figured he had to be as frustrated as I was. So, when the bartender finally sauntered over to take my order I gave him a piece of my mind. I expressed my displeasure in his service, and I told him the man standing next to me was just as upset as I was.” She paused for a moment and bit her lower lip. “You know how I can get, you’ve seen me in action before. Well, this was a choice performance if there ever was. I was loud, and I was rude. It would have been bad enough if I spoke for myself, but like I said, I spoke for Walter too.”
I clenched my hands. Even though I only knew Walter for a short period of time, I knew he would never approve of such an approach. He was gentle and kind. He was soft spoken and a true gentleman. I bet his sigh was because he was frustrated with my mother’s actions not the bartender’s lack of attention.
“What did Walter do?”
“Besides look like he wanted to kill me?” Beatrice chuckled as the makeup artist began working on her face. “He reached into his pocket and handed the man two twenties. He apologized for my outburst. He also explained that he never met me before and I certainly didn’t speak for him. He told him to prepare the same drink he was making me for him to keep things easy. Then he turned to me.” My mother clutched my hand as she continued. “Oh, Annabel. There was such hatred in his voice. He glared at me. He said ‘I shouldn’t even be wasting one second of my time on you lady. You don’t deserve it. You sure are a piece of work.’ He gestured towards the ocean and said, ‘You are here, on this phenomenal ship. You should be enjoying yourself. But you can’t, can you? You’re a cold, miserable woman. It’s clear by the way you just treated that poor boy that the only way you know how to make yourself feel good is by making everyone else around you miserable too. It’s pathetic. The poor kid is a bartender on a cruise ship, not a cardiac surgeon. So, he was flirting with a girl instead of on the ready to shake up a martini for you. Where is the calamity, lady? No one’s life was at stake if we waited another minute or two for a beverage. But you sure acted like it was.’ He then finished up by asking how I would feel if someone spoke to me, or better yet my son, the way I had just spoken to the bartender.”
Beatrice sighed deeply and crossed her legs at the ankles. “No one has ever spoken to me that way. I was shocked, mostly because I knew in my heart he was right. I’ve been so miserable for so long, longer than I cared to remember. I didn’t intend for it to happen but a tear rolled down my face. I tried to turn my head so he wouldn’t see it.”
“Did he notice?”
“Yes, he sure did. And then he apologized. He told me he was out of line stooping down to my level. He said he had no right to talk to me the way he did. But
I told him I was glad he did. I said I needed someone to come along and wake me up. Then I asked him if he’d sit with me while we had our drinks. He said yes.”
“I’m shocked.”
“He later told me he only agreed to join me because he felt guilty for telling me off. I made sure to explain to him I cried because his words hit a nerve. And then, probably because I thought I would never see him again, I started telling him my story. And once I started, I just couldn’t stop. He was listening so intently, as if he cared. I told him about everything, everything I kept buried deep inside me for all these years. I told him about my father and William. I told him about your dad and Mindy. I told him about you and Brody. And I told him what I said to you the night our Brody died.”
I was dumbfounded. “You opened up to a complete stranger on a ship?” I said as I stared at her.
Her eyes were closed as the makeup artist applied eye shadow. “I know. It was totally out of character. Unlike your mother-in-law, I don’t share my life story easily. I don’t know what came over me that day. There was just something about him, which made me feel comfortable enough to do it. And I was glad I did. He saw what I never allowed myself to see.”
“Which was?”
“The fact I had lost both my children the night Brody died. As we sipped our martinis, he told me while I couldn’t change what happened with my son, I did have time to repair my relationship with my daughter. I knew he was right. I felt terrible I had managed to turn him into my therapist, so I asked him if he’d like to join me for a drink after dinner. I expected him to say no, but he surprised me again with another yes. And well, like they say, the rest is history. Everything else I told you about our time on the ship was true.”
I got up and walked to the window and looked outside. I lingered there only for a moment before returning to the chair next to my mother. “Okay, so you explained how you and Walter really met, but that doesn’t explain this wedding business or how you knew who to invite.”
The artist started applying more blush to my mother’s cheeks as she answered, “True. So Walter and I began to spend more and more time together. As we did I started to feel an array of emotions, which had been lacking in my life for so long. The biggest one was happiness. Before spending time with Walter, I don’t remember the last time I was truly happy. Walter made me laugh. He made me feel comfortable and cared for. He reminded me of William in a lot of ways. I was able to let my guard down around him. I loved it. We spent hours and hours talking about our pasts. He knew how hard it was for me to have lost Brody. After all, he lost his own daughter. He kept encouraging me to reach out to you, to make things right. I didn’t know how to do it, or what to say. I couldn’t picture myself just calling you up on the phone one Thursday and saying hey, Annabel, I am sorry for being such a bitchy mother these past few years, let’s get close. That approach never would have flied. I wanted to rebuild our relationship slowly, organically.” She paused, “Also I wasn’t sure you would want to spend time with me.”
Plan Bea Page 21